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2015-06-09

BAE Systems new headset to merge night vision and thermal imaging

The U.S. subsidiary of the British defense company BAE Systems is developing a new headset that will merge night vision and thermal imaging.

Soldiers typically wear night-vision goggles to see their surroundings in the dark, but use thermal sights mounted on their rifles to engage targets. According to reports, they will soon be able to use one device for both tasks.

The company said in a statement, “In today’s battlefield, this slower approach, which is often further hampered by heavy smoke or bad weather, compromises soldiers’ safety and can reduce mission effectiveness. BAE Systems’ new solution will allow troops to acquire targets easily and engage faster.”

The company said it worked with the U.S Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate to develop the technology. It beat several unnamed competitors for the contract, which is valued at up to $434 million over five years.

BAE has received an initial award of $35 million for the program, known as the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual. It plans to build the headsets at its new factory in Hudson, New Hampshire.

According to Paul Roberts, a spokesman for BAE’s electronic systems unit, the initial production of the night vision will begin this summer, while the weapon sight is currently in development and will enter production next year. The headset may be fielded to soldiers’ sometime in 2016 or in early 2017. It wasn’t immediately clear how much the product would cost.

The technology relies on a wireless video interface to transfer imagery from the sight to the goggle. This feature offers a number of advantages, such as eliminating the need for aiming lasers, a shorter engagement time, increased maneuverability and extended target acquisition range, according to the company.

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